Safety Flash: Near Miss Involving Gym Equipment Adjustment Failure

INCIDENT OVERVIEW

During use of gym equipment, one of our team was setting up a bench for incline rowing exercises using dumbbells. When the weights were lifted, the bench unexpectedly collapsed causing the weights to be dropped.
No injury was sustained; however, the incident represented a serious near miss.

After inspection, it was found that the bench adjustment pop-pin was partially unscrewed. Under load, the pin came f ree, resulting in the bench failure.

Photo credit: Training.fit — https://training.fit/exercise/incline-dumbell-row/

POSITIVE OUTCOMES

• Nobody was injured because of the incident.
• The user was able to move clear quickly, preventing further harm.
• The equipment was inspected immediately after the incident to identify the cause.
• The near miss was proactively shared to raise awareness and prevent recurrence.

ISSUES IDENTIFIED

• The equipment was not fully checked prior to use.
• The pop-pin securing the bench adjustment was partially unscrewed and not visibly obvious.
• There was an assumption that the equipment was safe based on previous use

ROOT CAUSE

The incident was caused by inadequate pre-use inspection of gym equipment. A partially unscrewed adjustment pop-pin was not identified prior to loading the bench, leading to equipment failure under pressure.

KEY TAKEAWAYS AND ACTIONS

• Always conduct thorough pre-use checks of gym equipment, including adjustment pins, locks and securing mechanisms.
• Do not assume equipment is safe because it has been used previously or appears visually intact.
• Inspect equipment after use and leave it in a safe condition for the next user.
• Immediately remove defective or suspect equipment from service and report it.
• Remember that gyms offshore are workplaces – the same safety standards apply as on deck or during operations.